Sorry I haven’t written lately, but things have been a bit chaotic here. Mostly it has surrounded my wonderful wife who had to have a second breast scan last week after the initial, regular mammogram showed a lump. A biopsy was taken and we should know the results of that tomorrow morning, but the likelihood is that it is a small cancer, hopefully detected early. With all the things that she has suffered over the last 2 years it seems so unfair that this should come along at this time. But, they tell me life isn’t fair so I guess we roll with the punches again. Your prayers, if you do that, and your positive thoughts would be greatly appreciated at this time.
On the Shadowfax front nothing has happened since last report. We are in “holding pattern” until all the parts that are at third-party suppliers and builders are returned and then it will be full speed ahead towards the Sheene in March next year.
In GP news, the usually-reliable GPWeek has announced this morning that Suzuki will NOT be competing in MotoGp next year, having failed to signal their clear intentions to DORNA by last Friday, the deadline imposed some time ago. It is understood that staff have been notified and that the indication in the letters is that Suzuki intend to return in 2013 with an I4 powered bike. Alvaro Bautista made a wise move securing the Gresini seat when he did. Disappointment for John Hopkins, however, who was hoping to return to MotoGp in 2012 with Suzuki, troublesome hand injury notwithstanding. Hopper looks like heading to WSBK to take up the second seat on the Crescent Suzuki squad there. In other news, it is looking increasingly like Moto2 champion, Stefan Bradl WILL be in MotoGp next year after all, his very encouraging test at Valencia last week moving team boss Lucio Cecchinello to prefer him over the expected return of Randy de Puniet. Quite where this leaves RdP is up in the air at the moment.
Also in MotoGp of the Constructor’s Team (CRT) variety, news this week that Anthony West will be moving back to the series with the Speedmaster team, for whom Andrea Iannone presently rides in Moto2. Details and specification of the bike is not clear at this stage or whether Ant will take Warren Willing with him from MZ. It is to be hoped that he does.
GpWeek, the online magazine to which I subscribe, has a fascinating article this week, a detailed interview with Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of DORNA. In it he clearly states, amongst other things, that the time for factory domination of the sport is over; that DORNA will direct its major funding efforts towards the CRT teams in an effort to encourage the class to grow and that the proposed common ECU proposal, tipped for introduction in 2013 is only the beginning in a series of initiatives to limit expense and get more people and teams involved in the sport. Indeed, he says that the common ECU will begin being tested in May of next year. I do recommend that you read the whole article; in it you will see the blueprint for how DORNA will take away from the factories the power that they have over the sport and hand it back to the competitors. It makes fascinating reading.